The Pittsburgh Steelers added to their offense with their first-round pick this year. They selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, another young piece up front. However, it’s still uncertain which quarterback Iheanachor will be blocking for. The Steelers’ signal-caller situation is unclear, with the team still waiting on word from Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers doesn’t return, though, Will Howard is confident that he can be the starter.
“I don’t know what Aaron’s gonna do, if he wants to come back,” Howard said recently on the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast. “I’d be more than happy to spend another year learning from him. But if he doesn’t, I’m ready…
“I’m just excited this year to be able to show the city and to show my teammates and everybody within the organization that I can be the guy that they can lean on, and that I can be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doesn’t matter if I was taken in the sixth round. That stuff doesn’t matter. All you need is a chance. All you need is a foot in the door and an opportunity, and I want to take that and run with it.”
The odds are against Howard. Not many sixth-round quarterbacks have become quality starters, let alone franchise guys. Tom Brady is the exception, not the rule.
However, Mike McCarthy has helped develop late-round quarterbacks in the past. Although the two only spent one season together, he helped Matt Hasselbeck, a sixth-round pick, develop into a long-time starter. Aaron Brooks was a fourth-round pick, and McCarthy helped him become a decent starter for a handful of years.
Perhaps Howard could be next on the list to benefit from the McCarthy quarterback school. His time sitting behind Rodgers last year likely helped, too. The two of them developed a good relationship, with Rodgers happily mentoring Howard.
While Howard has his eyes on the starting job, he also stated that he has another, bigger goal for the Steelers this season.
“We’re going for world championships. I want to win a Super Bowl.”
Could Howard start this year? Yes, but it feels unlikely that he’d instantly make the Steelers championship contenders. He hasn’t played in a preseason game yet, so setting his sights on the Super Bowl might be looking a little too far ahead. He needs to walk before he can run.
That’s why Rodgers returning and Howard sitting for another year could be the best thing for everyone. It would give Howard another year to learn from one of the best quarterbacks ever, and the Steelers would probably have a better shot at a Super Bowl.
Then, Howard can compete for the starting job next year. Rodgers likely won’t play past the 2026 season. While many fans would like to see Howard start this year, and it’s good that he believes in himself, it’s important not to rush his development.